Mr. Speaker, February 28 marks Rare Disease Day. While individually these diseases may be rare, collectively they represent over 7,000 different diseases. That sobering statistic is complicated by the fact that they have common issues: medical professionals lack familiarity; diagnostic times are much longer, if diagnosed at all; and many have no treatments or cures.
Fortunately, there is hope. Through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada has invested $142 million over the past five years to support research projects across the country and abroad in order to improve understanding and develop treatments.
Today I would like to acknowledge the courage of all persons affected and their caregivers, especially like my constituent, Ms. Joanne Paquette, who suffers from Ollier disease, which affects one in 100,000 people.
I invite parliamentarians to applaud the courage and determination of people with rare diseases.